Operating mechanism for closures for moving stairway wellway openings



Sept. 26, 1939. 2,173,900

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLOSURES FOR MOVING STAIRWAY WELLWAY OPENINGSFiled. June25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 s: T E

00 N no \m (b 7 Jr LL five-M Lu flm INVENTOR BY ATTORNEY E. L. DUNNSept. 26, 1939.

OPERATING MECHANISM FORCLOSURES FOR MOVING STAIRWAY WELLWAY OPENINGS:

Filed June 25, 1938 dob- 4 Luiflm INVENTOR Y E N R 0 w A Sept. 26, 1939.EL. DUNN 2,173,900

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLQSURES FOR MOVING STAIRWAY WELLWAY OPENINGSSept. 26, 1939. E. L. DUNN 2,173,900

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLOSURES FOR MOVING STAIRWAY WELLWAY OPENINGSFiled June 25, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Sept.26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OPERATING MECHANISM FOR CLOSURESFOR MOVING STAIRWAY WELLWAY OPENINGS Edward Lee Dunn, Livingston, N. J.,assignor to Otis Elevator Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewJersey Application June 25, 1938, Serial No. 215,785

'7 Claims. (01. 18957) The invention relates to moving stairways and ingmechanism, illustrating the shutter partially especially to closing offthe stair wells in case of Wound on the drum;

fire. Figure 4 is a plan view, somewhat schematic, In the majority ofbuildings in which moving of the shutter operating mechanism; 35-stairways are provided, the stairways extend Figure 5 is a detail of aportion of a driving 5 through openings in the ceilings. In case of acog wheel with the shutter meshing therewith; fire on a lower floor,these openings, usually Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6termed wellways, act as flues, creating a draft to of Figure 5;

aid combustion. Also, in stores where goods are Figure '7 is a side viewof the pawl and ratchet 19 on display, the wellways permit the passageof drive;

' smoke from lower to upper floors to damage goods Figure 8 is an endview of the same, taken along on the upper floors. the line 88 of Figure'7;

The general practice for present day moving Figure 9 is a plan view ofthe same; and stairway installations is to provide a railing Figure 10is a plan view of another arrangearound the exposed portion of thewellway, usument of pawl and ratchet drive. 15

" ally about the height of the stairway balustrade. Referring first toFigures 1 and 2, a simplified This involves a minimum of obstruction ofthe single stairway installation has been illustrated view of oneportion of the floor from another, with no additional stairway to theside of or which is especially desirable for stores. Also, above it. Thestairway comprises an endless sesuch construction more readily admits ofdesign ries of steps ll having tread cleats thereon for 2 conformablewith present day architectural meshing with a comb l2 at the end of thestairstandards. The invention will be described as way. Balustrading I3is provided on each side applied to such construction. of the stairway,this balustrading terminating in It is the object of the invention toprovide newels I4 at the end of the stairway. The stairclosures formoving stairway wellways, especially way extends upwardly at an anglethrough an 25 those of the above construction, which may be opening [5in the floor l6. A railing I1 is proquickly and readily operated. videdoutside the balustrading on each side of the In carrying out theinvention as applied to wellway opening. Solid walls l8 extend from thesuch moving Stairways, solid walls are provided floor to the top of therailings. Each railing terfrom the floor to the top of the railing. Aflexminates at the end of the stairway and is curved ible curtain orshutter is provided for completely to conform to the curvature of thestairway newel. closing the wellway opening, guides being pro- At theother end the side walls join with an end vided for guiding the shutterfrom a compartment wall 20 to enclose the wellway. at the end of thewellway along the top of the A flexible shutter 2| is provided forclosing 36 railing and around a curve at the stairway newel the wellway.When not in use, this shutter is to the fioor. Normally the shutter iswound on kept ina compartment 22 at the inner end of a drum located inthis compartment. the wellway. This compartment is illustrated as Theprincipal feature of the invention is the formed between the end wall 20and another end provision of shutter operating mechanism having wall 23forward of end wall 20 and extending manually operable rotatable meanswhich is opupwardly from a soffit 24. A channel-shaped erable uponrotative movement in one direction guide 25 is provided on the side ofeach railing, 40 to extend the shutter to close the wellway openthisguide extending from compartment 22 along ing and upon rotative movementin the opposite the top of the railing and around the curve at directionto retract the shutter into its storage the end of the stairway to thefloor.

space. The shutter is made up of a plurality of hinged 45 Other featuresand advantages of the invenslats in the form of channel members 30extion will become apparent from the following detending crosswise ofthe wellway, The hinges 3| scription and appended claims. areillustrated as formed by bending the adja- In the drawings: cent flangesinto partial cylinders, one to fit with- Figure l is a simplifie p w Ofthe wellway in the other as illustrated in Figure 5. This forms m of amovi airw y embodying the nv n aseal against the passage of fire andsmoke when the shutter being shown partially extended; the shutter is inextended position. The diam- Figure 2 is a Side View Of the Same, p s beeter of, the inner cylinder 32 is greater than the broken away; distancebetween the edge 33 of the outer cylin- Figure 3 is a side view of theshutter operatder 34 and the wall of its flange, thereby secur- 55 ingthe inner cylinder within the outer cylinder to form a lock type hinge.Alternate ones of the slats are provided at each end with end plates 35to hold the slats in place sidewise. Each of these end plates is formedwith a base member 36 riveted to the end of the slat and an end member31 extending from the base member across the ends of the hinges.

A slot 46 is provided across the front of end wall 23 in alignment withthe guides 25 to receive the shutter within compartment 22. Also, guidemembers 4| extend rearwardly from the slot 40 as illustrated in Figure 3on each side of the compartment for guiding the shutter onto cog wheels42. These cog wheels are provided one on each side of the compartmentand are secured in driven relation to a cross shaft 43. Spaced lugs 38are formed on the base members of the end plates 35 in position to meshwith the teeth of the cog wheels.

From the cog wheels, the shutter extends downwardly at an angle onto adrum 44 mounted in driven relation on cross shaft 45. The drum isillustrated as having a spiral surface, the difference between themaximum and minimum radii being equal to the thickness of the shutter.The end of the shutter is secured to a lug 46 formed on the drum at thepoint of minimum radius, the lug extending into the trough of theshutter. The radius increases in a clockwise direction around the drum,enabling the shutter to be wound upon the drum in a spiral of increasingdiameter by counterclockwise rotative movement of the drum as viewed inFigure 3. The drum as illustrated in Figure 4 may be relatively short,as a three-point suspension is had by the drum and the two cog wheels tomaintain the shutter, in proper position.

To extend the shutter outwardly from its storage compartment over thewellway opening, shaft 43 is rotated clockwise as viewed in Figure 3,the teeth of the cog wheels 42 meshing with the lugs of the end platesfor the slats to pull the shutter off the spiral drum 44 and push itthrough guides 4! out through slot 4!! into the guides 25. To retractthe shutter into its compartment, shaft 45 is rotated counterclockwiseto wind the shutter back onto the drum, an end plate 48 being providedon the end of the shutter to engage end wall 23 to bring the shutter toa stop in retracted position and to close slot 49. The cross shafts 43and 45 are driven by an operating shaft 56 also extending crosswise ofthe compartment. These shafts are supported in bearings in end plates52, one on each side of the compartment. A gear 53 is secured to shaft45 at one end thereof and another gear 54 is secured to shaft 43 at theopposite end thereof. Gears 53 and 54 are driven from shaft 56 throughthe intermediary of smaller gears 55 and 56 respectively.

Owing to the spiral arrangement of the shutter on drum 44, the speed ofrotation of shaft 45 relative to shaft 43 varies. in accordance with theamount of the shutter which is wound on drum 44. To prevent the lockingof the gears due to this difference in speed of shafts 45 and 43, themechanism is arranged so that gear 55 is not driven uponcounterclockwise movement of shaft 56 as viewed in Figure 3 to drivegear 54 through gear 56 and so that gear 56 is not driven upon clockwiserotative movement of shaft 56 to drive gear 53 through gear 55. This iseffected by securing gear 55 to an elongated sleeve 60 on shaft 5!]extending inwardly from the gear and by securing gear 56 to anotherelongated sleeve 6| on shaft 56 extending inwardly from the gear, asillustrated in Figure 4. On the inner end of sleeve 66 is provided aratchet Wheel 62. Similarly, on the inner end of sleeve 6| is provided aratchet wheel 63. These wheels are driven from shaft 56 through theintermediary of pawls 64 and 65. The inner and outer ends of the sleevesare provided with bearings 66 and 61' respectively on which the sleevesmay turn with respect to shaft 53.

' Referring to Figures '7, 8 and 9, to the sides of the ratchet wheelsare arranged plates 16 and H, these plates being rotatably mounted onsleeves 69 and El respectively. At the bottoms of the plates and beneaththe ratchet wheels are provided a pair of spacing rods 72, these rodsbeing provided with shoulders for spacing the plates and with threadedends beyond the shoulders which extend through apertures in the platesand on which are provided nuts for securing the plates together. Asimilar spacing rod 13 extends between the upper ends of the platesabove the ratchet wheels, nuts being provided on the ends of this rodfor securing the top ends of the plates together. Rod l3 also serves asa pivotal support for the pawls 64 and 65. These pawls are arranged onrod 53 between the plates 16 and H and an operating arm '54 secured bykey 69 to shaft 66 between the ratchet wheels. This arm is provided withan elongated slot 15 through which rod l3 extends and on opposite sidesof its upper end is provided with lugs 16 and H for engaging arms 66 andSI formed on the upper ends of pawls 64 and 65 respectively andextending inwardly therefrom in a position to be engaged by the lugs. Acompression spring 82 is arranged between the ends of arms 86 and 8|,biasing the pawls for opposite movement about rod 13.

With this arrangement, upon counterclockwise movement of shaft 56 asviewed in Figure 8, operating arm 14 is moved to the left with respectto rod '53. Assuming the parts in the positions illustrated in Figure 8with the pawls in tooth slots 9f their respective ratchet wheels, duringthe movement of arm l4, lug l6 engaging arm 8!] of pawl 64 swings thepawl about the rod against the force of spring 62 to lift it off itsratchet wheel into position to clear the ratchet teeth. When the armreaches a position where rod 13 is engaged by the right hand end of slot75, the plates l6 and H and pawls are swung as a unit counterclockwise.Pawl 65 being in a tooth slot in ratchet Wheel 63 causescounterclockwise movement of this ratchet Wheel. If this pawl had notbeen in a tooth slot at the time, counterclockwise movement of the unitwould result in the pawl 65 reaching a position to move into a toothslot. counterclockwise rotative movement of ratchet wheel 63 results incounterclockwise movement of gear 56 in Figure 3, gear 56 in turnrotating gear 54 clockwise. This effects rotative movement of the cogwheels in a direction to pull the shutter off the drum, extending itoutwardly over the wellway. Pawl 64, being held off ratchet Wheel 62during this operation, cannot be engaged by the wheel during itsmovement by the drum through gears 53 and 55.

Upon clockwise movement of shaft 56 as viewed in Figure 8, a similaroperation takes place except that ratchet wheel 62 is rotated by itspawl to wind the shutter back on the drum. Assuming the parts in thepositions illustrated, initial movement of shaft 53' effects clockwiserotative movement of arm 14, moving this arm to the right with respectto rod 13. During this movement lug 1'! acts through arm 8| to lift pawl65 off ratchet wheel 63 and upon the engagement of the left hand end ofslot 15 with rod 13, clackwise movement of the unit as a whole takesplace, pawl 64 acting to effect clockwise rotation of ratchet wheel 62.This causes clockwise rotative movement of gear 55 to rotate gear 53counterclockwise, winding the shutter back onto the drum. This effectsrotative movement of the cog wheels but pawl 65, being held off ratchetwheel 63, cannot be engaged by this wheel during its movement by the cogwheels through gears 54 and 56.

On one end of shaft 59 is provided an operating crank 90, the crankbeing illustrated as arranged on the left hand end of the shaft asviewed in Figure 4. This crank is provided with a handle 9! for manuallyrotating shaft 59 to effect the extension and retraction of the shutter.A key 92 is provided in the end of the shaft and a slot is provided inthe hub 93 into which the key extends to form a driving connection. Toenable the crank to be stored in back of the wainscot panel 94 of therailing where it is not noticeable, the slot in the hub 93 is made largeenough to permit the hub to slide on the shaft, the amount of thismovement being sufficient to permit the crank to be stored behind thepanel. Also, the handle 9| is pivotally secured to the end of the crankso as to enable it to be swung .down along the crank arm. A slot 95 isprovided in the face of the panel 94 through which the crank may bepulled when it is desired to operate the shutter, the crank being shownin operating position with the handle extended in dot-dash lines inFigure 4. Thus, to operate the shutter, the crank is pulled outwardlythrough this slot, the'handle extended and the crank rotated in adirection to pull the shutter off the drum and extend it outwardly overthe wellway into position to close the stairway opening. To retract theshutter, the crank is simply turned in the opposite direction and theshutter is pulled back onto the drum.

If it is desired to arrange the mechanism so that the shutter may alsobe operated by pulling directly on the shutter, this may be done forexample by lifting both pawls from their ratchet Wheels when the handleis stored in back of the Wainscot panel 94. One arrangement foreffecting this operation is illustrated in Figure 10. In thisarrangement the operating crank 90 is secured to the end of drivingshaft 59, the crank being extended from or returned within its slot 95by sliding the whole shaft 50 endwise. Operating arm 95 is fixed toshaft 50 so as to move endwise of the shaft as well as rotate therewith.Cross extensions 9'! and 98 are provided on the upper end of the arm.The ends I of these cross members serve to lift one or the other pawl,depending upon the direction of rotative movement. The cross members arecammed at HH so as to squeeze the arms I02 of the pawls together uponinward movement of shaft 50 to store the operating crank. This liftsboth pawls off their ratchet wheels 62 and 63. The ratchet wheels arespaced farther apart to permit this endwise movement of operating arm 96and the arms Ill-2 of the pawls are'elongated accordingly. Thus, whenthe crank arm is stored behind the panel, both pawls are lifted offtheir ratchet wheels so that if the shutter is operated by pulling on itfrom the front, the ratchet wheels, in their movement by the drum andcog wheels, do

not engage the pawls, rendering the shutter free to be pulled all theway out.

If desired, mechanism may be provided for exerting a drag on shaft 45 toprevent slack developing in the shutter during its extension over thewellway opening in the event that the friction of the parts isinsuificient to prevent this.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madewithoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter for the wellway opening ofa moving stairway in which the shutter is wound on a drum and in whichrotatable means is provided which is operable upon rotative movement ina certain direction for pulling said shutter from said drum andextending it over the wellway opening, comprising; a manually operabledriving shaft; a ratchet wheel; an operating pawl therefor; anotherratchet wheel; an operating pawl for the second named ratchet wheel;means operable by said driving shaft upon rotative movement thereof inone direction tooperate the first named ratchet wheel by its pawl andupon rotative movement thereof in the opposite direction to operate thesecond named ratchet wheel by its pawl; means operable by the firstnamed ratchet wheel for operating said rotatable means to pull saidshutter off said drum and extend it over said wellway opening; meansoperable by the second named ratchet wheel for rotating said drum towind said shutter thereon; and means operable by said driving shaft torelease the operating pawl for the ratchet wheel for the directionopposite to the direction of rotation of said shaft.

2. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter for the wellway opening ofa moving stairway in which the shutter is wound on a drum and in whichmeans is provided which is adapted upon operation to pull said shutteroff said drum and extend it over said wellway opening, comprising; amanually operable driving shaft; a pair of ratchet wheels mounted onsaid driving shaft and adapted for rotative movement with respectthereto; a pair of pawls, one for each ratchet wheel, for-effectingopposite rotative movement thereof; means operable by rotative movementof said driving shaft in one direction to release the pawl from one ofsaid ratchet wheels and to eifect rotative movement of the other ratchetwheel by its pawl in said direction, and operable by rotative movementof said driving shaft in the other direction to release the pawl fromsaid other ratchet wheel and to effect rotative movement of said oneratchet wheel by its pawl in said other direction, means operable byrotative movement of one of said ratchet wheels for causing operation ofsaid first named means to pull said shutter oil said drum and extend itover said wellway opening; and means operable by rotative movement ofthe other of said ratchet Wheels for rotating said drum to wind saidshutter thereon.

3. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter for the wellway opening ofa moving stairway in which the shutter is secured to and spirally woundon a drum, comprising; a pair of cog wheels meshing with opposite sidesof said shutter and over which said shutter extends from said drum; amanually operable driving shaft; a pair of sleeves mounted on saiddriving shaft and adapted for rotative movement with respect thereto; aratchet wheel secured to the inner end of each sleeve; a pair of pawls,one for each ratchet wheel, for effecting opposite rotative movementthereof, each of said pawls being biased for movement into cooperativeposition with the ratchet wheel for which it is provided; means forpivotally supporting said pawls; means, operable by rotative movement ofsaid driving shaft in one direction to release the pawl from one of saidratchet wheels and to effect rotative movement of the other ratchetwheel by its pawl to rotate the sleeve to Which such ratchet wheel issecured in said one direction, and operable by rotative movement of saiddriving shaft in the other direction to release the pawl from said otherratchet wheel and to effect rotative movement of said one ratchet wheelby its pawl to rotate the sleeve to which such ratchet wheel is securedin said other direction; means operable by said rotative movement of oneof said sleeves in one direction for rotating said cog Wheels to pullsaid shutter off said drum and extend it over said wellway opening; andmeans operable by said rotative movement of the other of said sleeves inthe opposite direction for rotating said drum to Wind said shutterthereon.

4. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter 'for the wellway openingof a moving stairway in which a rotatable support is provided for saidshutter upon which the shutter is wound and in which rotatable means isprovided which is operable upon rotative movement in a certain directionfor pulling said shutter from said rotatable support and extending itover the .wellway opening, comprising; a manually operable drivingshaft; a pair of ratchet wheels mounted on said driving shaft in spacedrelation and adapted for rotative movement with respect thereto; a pairof operating pawls, one for each ratchet wheel for effecting oppositerotative 45 (movement there-of; a pivotal support for each pawlrotatably mounted with respect to the ratchet wheel for which the pawlis provided; a

crank arm secured to said driving shaft between said pawls having meansoperable upon rotative movement of said driving shaft in one directionfor releasing the pawl from one of said ratchet wheels and upon rotativemovement of said driving shaft in the opposite direction for releasingthe pawl from the other ratchet wheel and also having a lost motionconnection with said pawls for causing upon rotative movement of saiddriving shaft in said one direction rotative movement of said otherratchet wheel by its pawl in said one direction after the pawl for saidone ratchet wheel is released and for causing upon rotative movement ofsaid driving shaft in said other direction rotative movement of said oneratchet wheel by its pawl in said other direction after the pawl forsaid other ratchet wheel is released; means operable by rotativemovement of said one ratchet wheel in said other direction for rotatingsaid rotatable means to pull said shutter off said rotatable support andextend it over said wellway opening; and means operable by rotativemovement of said other ratchet wheel in said one direction for rotatingsaid rotatable support to wind said shutter thereon.

5. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter for the wellway opening ofa moving stairway in which the shutter is wound on a drum and inextending between said plates; a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on saidpin, one for each ratchet wheel, for effecting opposite rotativemovement thereof, each of said pawls having a releasing arm; a springbetween said arms biasing said pawls into positions for cooperating withsaid ratchet wheels; a crank arm secured to said driving shaft betweensaid ratchet wheels, said crank arm having a slot through which said pinextends and a pair of oppositely disposed lugs, one for movement of saiddriving shaft in one direction acting through one of its lugs to releasethe pawl from one of said ratchet wheels and through said pin and thepawl for the other ratchet wheel upon the end of said slot engaging saidpin to effect rotative movement of said other ratchet wheel in said onedirection and upon rotative movement of said driving shaft in theopposite direction acting through the other of its lugs to release thepawl from said other ratchet wheel and through said pin and the pawl forsaid one ratchet wheel upon the end of said slot engaging said pin toeffect rotative movement of said one ratchet wheel in said oppositedirection; means operable by rotative movement of said one ratchet wheelin said opposite direction for rotating said rotatable means to pullsaid shutter off said drum and extend it over said wellway opening; andmeans operable by rotative movement of said other ratchet wheel in saidone direction for rotating said drum to wind said shutter thereon.

6. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter for the wellway opening ofa moving stairway in which a rotatable support is provided for saidshutter upon which said shutter is wound and in which rotatable means isprovided which is operable upon rotative movement in a certain directionfor pulling said shutter from said rotatable support and extending itover the wellway open- "each pawl arm, said crank arm upon rotative ing,comprising; driving means for said rotatable I support; driving meansfor said rotatable means; a manually operable member having an extendedand a retracted position; means operable by said manually operablemember, when in extended position and upon rotative movement thereof inone direction, for operating said driving means for said rotatable meansto pull said shutter off said rotatable support and extend it over saidwellway opening; means operable by said manually operable member, whenin extended position and upon rotative movement thereof in the otherdirection, for operating said driving means for said rotatable supportto wind said shutter on said drum; and means operable by said manuallyoperable member when in retracted position for preventing cooperation ofsaid driving means for said rotatable means and its operating means andof said driving means for said rotatable support and its operatingmeans, whereby said shutter may be extended over the wellway opening bypulling on its manually.

'7. Operating mechanism for a flexible shutter for the wellway openingof a moving stairway in which the shutter is wound on a drum and inwhich rotatable means is provided which is operable upon rotativemovement in a certain direction for pulling said shutter from said drumand extending it over the wellway opening, comprising; a driving shaft;a manual member for operating said shaft, said shaft being shiftableendwise to retract said operating member; a ratchet wheel; an operatingpawl therefor; another ratchet wheel; an operating pawl for the secondnamed ratchet wheel; means operable by said driving shaft upon rotativemovement thereof in one direction to operate the first named ratchetwheel by its pawl and upon rotative movement thereof in the oppositedirection to operate the second named ratchet wheel by its pawl; meansoperable by the first named ratchet wheel for operating said rotatablemeans to pull said shutter off said drum and extend it over said wellwayopening; means operable by the second named ratchet wheel for rotatingsaid drum to wind said shutter thereon; and means operable by saidendwise movement of said driving shaft to retract said operating memberfor lifting said operating pawls off their ratchet wheels to permit saidshutter to be extended over said wellway opening by pulling directly onsaid shutter.

EDWARD LEE DUNN.

